Body Pump and Brownies

My summer goal is to integrate body conditioning into my exercise regimen.  I run or spin for cardio but have never been interested in body conditioning.  Whenever I would think about it, I would just not know how to start or I would just think it unnecessary.  I did a post on CX Worx which has been fun and challenging and I have also started doing Body Pump.  This is a 60 minute class (I thought immediately no way) but my friend encouraged my to try it on July 4th.  I thought ugh but tried it out.  Was it fun?  No, because it was my first time and I could not do everything because I was not strong enough and because I did not know the routine.  You know that I say to try something new twice before making a decision so I went back and have done it now 5 times.  It is so good for you!  The hour goes by fast and we work really hard.  Building muscle is not easy but so worth it.  The fear of hanging triceps makes me work harder.  Do you remember a teacher writing on the board with jiggly arms?  I am a teacher and do not want kids to think of jiggly arms when they think of me!  Body pump is a whole body workout.  Think about muscle conditioning and see if your gym offers a similar class.  Try it twice...

                                              

Brownies?  Why not!  This is a family favorite and I made it today to send over to a neighbor who is recuperating.  Everything in moderation....

                                             
Brownie:

2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.  Line an 8 in square pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
Melt chocolate and butter in microwave in a microwave safe bowl.  Stir until smooth.    Stir in brown sugar.  Add eggs one at a time.  Stir in flour.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 22 minutes.

Remove from oven and turn off oven.  Sprinkle top of cooked, hot brownies with chocolate chips.  Put pan back in oven for 30 seconds until chips are shiny.  Remove pan and spread chips across the top until smooth and shiny.

Turn broiler on.  Sprinkle top of brownies with mini marshmallows.  Put under broiler but leave the oven door propped open.  As soon as marshmallows turn brown, remove from oven to cool.  Cut and enjoy!

July 27, 2013 Moderation

My husband  and I ran together this morning and talked a lot about moderation - in exercise AND eating!  He started running in late May and runs with me several times a week.  We run between 6.5 and 7.5 miles depending on the day.  Great for him because he is feeling good and has trimmed down and is happy.  Great for me because now I have a running partner.  When I began this exercise journey 3 years ago, it took me months to run 2 miles without feeling like I was going to fall over.  Running is hard for me and I have worked hard and diligently to increase my distance.  It bothered me at first that he could just run with me after a month.  He is just a more natural runner.  Do what you can - exercise is a personal journey.  Especially when you start.  My husband had his share of aches and pains at the start and he worked a lot on his form and his stretching before heading out.  I am not saying to not push yourself but to understand what your body is telling you.  Run or exercise every other day at the beginning.  Build your body up.  Think moderation.  Think success.

                                                      

No recipe today!  Just some thoughts on moderation at the table.  My biggest problem has always been portion size.  I like food and I like to eat.  That combination was not helping my waistline...Forty pounds ago, I decided to cut out junk food and to eat one plate of food at dinner.  I started eating hummus and pretzels for an afternoon snack instead of cookies.  There is no preaching here.  Think moderation.  I would eat two hershey kisses after dinner as my treat each day.  Try eating sensible meals and healthy snacks.  I can't be hungry or I am very grumpy.  Grab an apple for a morning snack.  Try a new snack every week.  Think healthy.  Think success.

July 23, 2013

During the school year, I leave for a very early morning run at 4:40 a.m. three days a week.  I want to give a shout out today to a fellow early morning runner who is a good friend and neighbor.  We would see each other in the dark running in the opposite direction and wave.  She called out to me "let's have dinner soon" and we eventually did.  We chatted about how great it was to exercise in the quiet of the morning and to have it over with before our hectic days started.  CS has taken ill but I want to share with you and with her how impressed I was with her running (she called in "shuffling") and with her ability to get out of bed at that crazy hour and enjoy herself!  I know that I will be seeing her on North Quaker soon enough.  CS, remember that I will "shuffle" with you any day that you are ready!  I think of you and can't wait to see you home!


Mango Salsa

CS and I had dinner at a Thai Restaurant and I ordered a dessert with mango and rice.  Yum!  This mango salsa is also a shout out to her!  Her husband does a lot of the cooking (how jealous am I!) but this is easy and delicious.  I am serving it with the baked cod recipe and rice.

2 mangoes peeled and chopped
1/2 chopped red onion
1/2 english cucumber diced
juice of one lime

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir!  As Ina Garten might say, "How easy is that?".  Give it a try and you just might like it!

                                                    

A summer goal and my take on Pad Thai

It's summer and as I am a teacher, I have the summer off.  I enjoy running and spinning and walking but I was feeling and hearing that I might want to add some body conditioning into my routine.  Ugh.  The thought of it was not making me smile.  After reading more articles about the importance of muscle mass and how this body conditioning (ugh) would help my overall fitness and my running, I saw that there was a class called CX Worx right after Friday morning spinning.  A 30 minute class.  I gave it a shot and today was my fourth Friday in a row.  As I struggle to hold myself in a "hover", I chant in my head "this is good for you, this is good for you" over and over.  It is not easy but core strength is simply more important than my pain!  We also work with the band and a weight.  Just sharing another option to increase your fitness level.  Maybe your gym offers the same class.  They introduce a new routine every 12 weeks.  Do what you can and slowly build up.  I held the hover for longer today than last week.  Try something new and it might just work!

                                                     

I love Pad Thai and I always order it when I eat out at a Thai restaurant.  I needed something very soft for dinner last night because my younger daughter just had braces put on and her mouth is still sore.  While walking around Trader Joe's, I saw and was inspired by rice noodles and thought of trying Pad Thai with tofu.  You could certainly add cooked shrimp or cooked chicken also.  Here is my adapted recipe.  I also knew before I served this that the girls would never eat something called tofu so I called it "soft chicken".  Sometimes I stretch the truth but in the end they both said it was the best soft chicken they had ever eaten and could I make it all the time!

rice noodles prepared according to package

sauce:  1/3 cup chicken broth
            3 tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar
            1 tbsp fresh lime juice
            3 tbsp brown sugar
            2 tbsp fish sauce (easy to find in Asian section of supermarket)
            1 tbsp soy sauce
Mix sauce ingredients in bowl and leave off to side to stir in with noodles and vegetables.

Vegetable mixture:  1/2 large onion diced
                              1/2 red bell pepper diced
                              2 cups shredded carrots (less if you don't love carrots)
                              1 tbsp minced ginger
Saute above vegetables in a large frying pan until soft.  After these are cooked, push around sides of pan and crack 2 eggs in center.  Scramble eggs and mix around with the vegetables when done.

Tofu: one pound package of extra firm tofu drained and squeezed and cut into chunks.  Put in pan after eggs are incorporated and stir gently until cooked through, about 5-10  minutes.  You could also brown the tofu in another pan and just stir it in at this point.

Put prepared rice noodles in pan with vegetables and pour sauce over and stir.  Squeeze fresh lime over your serving if desired.  Hope you enjoy it as much as my family did last night!

                                               

July 17, 2013 : "Sticking" it out and something new for dinner....

Here in Connecticut, it is very HOT!  Day 4 of a 7 day heat wave.  Humidity is outrageous.  As you know, we belong to a swim club so we are very lucky.  What to do about morning exercise?  I ran this morning and I happened to run into a spinning buddy and we ran along together.  At 5:20 am it was already 75 degrees.  In this weather, 5:30 am is the best time to run.  The sun is not yet up fully and the two of us ran and chatted about why we do this.  Some say that after exercising diligently for 3 months, it becomes a habit.  Agreed.  I said that I feel 13 again and have a lot of energy now that a lot of weight is off.  DG, my spinning buddy and occasionally my running buddy, said that he just has to exercise to feel healthy and good.  Agreed.  Be smart about it - when I see people of any age out for a run at noon in the blistering sun and high humidity, I get upset.  Find an exercise buddy and the exercise experience becomes social and good for you!  Stick it out!
                                                             

Something new for dinner....in this heat, what to do for dinner is always a question.  Tonight, I am grilling chicken but needed something different for a side.  I decided to make farro as a side dish instead of rice.  I am treating just like rice and am hoping for the best!  Try something new and it might be delicious.  I am hoping for delicious and will let you know.  I chopped half of an onion and half of an orange pepper, sautted them in a tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan.  I threw in the farro to toast it with the onion and pepper.  I then put in a 14.5 ounce can of chicken broth and covered it.  Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Once done, I will stir in some feta cheese and if it isn't as good as it smells, oh well.  I would never know if I did not try...

                                                      

Response to my "farro salad" - a success!  My older daughter rarely eats anything new but she tried it and LIKED it!  I had cut up a red pepper for her which she ate along with the farro!  Yea!  I will be making it again for my younger daughter's lunch tomorrow - she just got her braces on and she does not have to chew the farro salad too hard!

Today, I'm linking up with Digital: Divide and Conquer and Third Grade Galore to tell about a win, a loss, and a thing of cost.

Win:

Swimming in a pool during this heat wave in CT!  We are very lucky to belong to a pool club and this summer has been brutally hot in CT!  The slide has been fast and fun!

                                      

Loss:

This is a "happy" loss if I must say...my older daughter had her braces removed this week and she looks more amazing and gorgeous!  She says that her teeth still feel a bit slimy but she can eat caramels now!

Cost:

The loss of one set of braces led to me to the new cost of my younger daughter having braces put on today!  Yellow and orange are her favorite colors and that is what she got!  As I was making a cup of coffee in the waiting room in the Keurig, I realized that I have spent way too much money in 

that office....